


Canvas

by lachoy



Series: Inked [5]
Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-06
Updated: 2015-02-06
Packaged: 2018-03-10 19:04:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3300341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lachoy/pseuds/lachoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joshua's bare back offers limitless possibilities, just like a canvas. Neku lazes in afterglow as he imagines the beautiful things he could create on Joshua's skin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Canvas

Neku thinks there's something absolutely freaking amazing about afterglow. The sex itself is always great and it isn't like he'd prefer to just skip that for what came next. Afterglow is just special in its own right and especially after great sex. Even if Joshua complains about the mess like the total priss he is, whining about sweat and other such fluids. And even if Neku always gripes at him about living in the damn moment (“Don't you dare start speaking like Sanae. One of him is enough.”). Even though Joshua won't even stick around until he's washed off and it's one quirk of Joshua's that Neku hates. One of the many. But when Joshua returns, slinking into the bed and just so subtly cuddling up to Neku like a cat seeking attention? It's possibly worth all the fuss Joshua gives up for it. Laying around with Joshua after, skin against skin while their bodies hum with some energy. Sometimes his mind just replays the moments over and over and over. All the sounds, feelings, and touches shared. How his back still stings from the trails of red Joshua's nails left. How Joshua's hair is a complete mess from Neku's hands. All the marks along their necks from teeth and lips.

And them sometimes, like now, Neku just stares at Joshua's back. It's a weird kind of turn-on Neku has, but he loves Joshua's back. His eyes roam, like an artist planning out his next work of art on the canvas and that is exactly what he's thinking of. His fingertips move to Joshua's back, the soft skin underneath always screaming to be painted on.

Before he became a tattoo artist, he never saw people as possible works of art and now he can't see anything but. Joshua will never let him put a tattoo on because he's probably eighty something and has a mind that seems to still have some old attitudes. Like tattoos are only for the yakuza and they are trashy so no thank you Joshua will keep his unmarked skin. But all Neku can see is beautiful possibilities, what he could put on Joshua if Joshua would let him. His fingers move like his tattoo machine, sketching out ideas. Wanting to so badly make a masterpiece and carve something of his own on someone who seems like they could disappear at any moment.

“You're doing it again,” Joshua murmurs, tone vaguely annoyed. Neku doesn't stop what he's doing. “It's honestly becoming a little creepy.”

“You have no right to be telling me about what's creepy and what isn't,” Neku reminds the other because Joshua practically skirts the line all the damn time. 

Joshua closes his eyes and sighs. “I'm trying to relax and here you are, practically drawing who knows what on my skin because you want to stick a needle in me.”

“I'm drawing a dick because you are one.”

“Please don't do that again because you are absolutely dreadful at dick jokes. That was embarrassing. I'm humiliated for you.” Neku would argue, but actually Joshua's right. For once. That was pathetic so he doesn't say another word and instead keeps sketching invisible lines on Joshua's back because Joshua doesn't stop him. Even his complaints barely hold any weight. Possibly because he's too tired out from before (and hell yeah, Neku's mind mentally congratulates himself) or it's just because Joshua doesn't mind this as much as he lets on. It wouldn't be unlike Joshua to simply complain for the sake of complaining.

There's another moment, possibly two because time ticks by so slowly when they're together like this, until Joshua finally speaks again.

“What would you tattoo on me if you could?”

Neku's mind comes up with a million ideas before he settles on one. “Wings.”

“I have those--”

“Wings, surrounded by light barely just shining and promising something powerful. Something that could break free if given the chance. Endless clouds and it's like Heaven, but there's the ground and it doesn't even seem threatening because there's feathers falling down onto it. Like a bed, just asking you to lay there. Maybe like a trap. Maybe you won't get up again if you do, but you want to anyway.”

Joshua's looking at him again and Neku doesn't really know where that rambling that came from. He isn't so good with words, there's a reason why he draws. If he could, when someone asks him a question he can't answer with his mouth he'd love to answer with his hands. A drawing that could sum everything up. He works with images and he's so much better with them. And actually, Neku doesn't really think what he said makes sense. The image of what he wants is so vivid, but he didn't do it justice. Joshua's probably going to laugh at him, tell him how stupid he sounded with a double-sided compliment.

But Joshua's eyes seem to be filled with something and Neku has to wonder if it's possible he said something to Joshua's liking--

“A Heaven motif? With me? Very original.”

Or, Neku thinks with a growl, he could be a fucking tool like always.

Neku's ready to speak up or possibly just push him out of his bed because sometimes Joshua just needs a good shove, probably a good damn punch; but instead he can't because Joshua's kissing him.

Joshua rarely kisses him first. Of course he kisses him first in teasing ways. When saying goodbye or just trying to embarrass him in some way. With a smirk or a word that will make Neku want to hit him instead of kiss back. Joshua never kisses him first with a real, genuine kiss. A kiss that makes Neku shiver, grab on, and definitely feel like he's being blessed or something. Neku almost always has to initiate those.

But not this time. This time Joshua kisses him and Neku pulls the other on top of him. They cannot have another round, but even if they just kiss and Joshua's naked on top of him then Neku won't even complain. Not a bit.

When they pull away from each other, Neku breathless while Joshua has no use for it, Joshua just smiles.

“Can't you use your words for once?” Neku asks, feeling he should complain just for the fact he can't let Joshua have everything.

“Who needs words when I can just do this?”

And Joshua is kissing him again and Neku still thinks he might like to hear something earnest from Joshua at some point. Words that Neku can depend on when things become too much, or Joshua puts up walls again, but until he gets those words then Joshua's lips on his are enough.

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be more than just JoshNeku central, but here I am and here is a second JoshNeku moment. There will be more than just them and more of Neku being a tattooist I swear. I can do this.


End file.
